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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. chip — for betting
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. staff — a stick
  11. last — final
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. snap — to click
  16. chip — to eat
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com